Container for flowers



G. TEUFEL CONTAINER FOR FLOWERS Dec. 11, 1951 2 Sl-lEETS-ShE-ET 1 Filed May 25, 1948 E 2 1/ 5 MM 5 N N [aw i X 5 Dec. 11, 1951 TEUFEL 2,578,271

CONTAINER FOR FLOWERS Filed May 25, 1948 2 SiiEETS-ShE-ET 2 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER FOR FLOWERS George Teufel, Portland, Oreg.

Application May 25, 1948, Serial No. 29,023

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally to sh pp containers and particularly to containers for flowers.

The main object of this invention is to provide a container in which flowers may be shipped, stored or displayed.

The second object is to make a container for flowers which will be inexpensive to manufacture, light in weight and strong enough to protect the flower against contact with other objects or the wrapping paper.

The third object is to so construct the container that the central punch-out becomes the keystone or cap of the arch which protects the flower.

The fourth object is to so construct the container that, while it nests perfectly when made, it can be set up for use by manipulation of the fingers without the use of any tools whatsoever.

I accomplish these and other objects in a manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the assembled container.

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the base of the container.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the container before the cap is put into place.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the cap.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken along the line 88 in Fig. 6.

Like numbers of reference refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a base I in the form of a concave-convex disk having four slits I l formed around the outer edge 12, each of which terminates at one end in a radial score mark 13 and at the other end It in a narrower tip I l-A having a quarter round end l which is tangent to the tip I l-A and intersects the outer edge l2. The end l6 may be somewhat wider than is the end l4.

Out of the center of the base I0 is punched an opening I! in which the stem of the flower i3 is inserted, while its leaves I9 rest upon the convex surface 20 of the base l0.

As shown in Fig. 5, the curved arms 2! formed between the ends Ht and I6 are bent upwardly and the rounded ends I5 almost touch above the center of the base Ill. -The arms 2| are normal to the base [0 and are bent along the score marks l3.

In Fig. 5 is shown the cap 22 which is punched out of the hole I! and which has substantially the same amount of curvature as does the base In.

In the cap 22 are formed the slits 23 with the intervening metal 24 drawn downwardly through the concave side 25 to form a socket 26 for the arm ends M-A.

There are four sockets 26 and when the cap 22 is put into place, the arms 2| must be sprung apart to allow the ends I l-A to enter the sockets 26, thereby placing the arms 24 under stress when in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2; that is, when the ends M-A are farther apart than they are in Fig. 5.

In practice, a thin gauge of sheet aluminum is used in making the device as it is light, which is desirable in air shipments. It can be set up by hand and it is non-corrosive.

Flowers are commonly provided with wire fasteners, by means of which they are secured to the base Ill. The entire carrier is enclosed and sealed within a transparent, moisture-proof cover known as cellophane or other similar material.

Obviously any number of arms may be employed without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

A container for flowers comprising a circular base of sheet metal dished toward its center and having an opening at the center thereof,

the rim of said base having four curved tapering arms integral with the perimeter thereof, each of which is less than one-fourth of the circumference of said rim, each arm being bent normal to said base along a radial line, the narrower end of each arm having a narrow shouldered tip, a circular cap bridging the spaces between opposite shouldered ends, and sockets formed on the under side of said cap receiving said shouldered arm ends and having the shoulder on said arm urged toward its socket by the spring action of said arm.

GEORGE TEUFEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 144,376 Wilcox Nov. 4, 1873 341,060 Schmoker May 4, 1886 887,411 Miller May 12, 1908 1,528,620 Kuwahara et a1. Mar. 3, 1925 2,106,425 Grant Jan. 25, 1938 

